On 28th of March European Parliament’s negotiators and the Council reached a deal on the requirements for Alternative Fuel Infrastructure (AFIR), according to EFIP's release.
The European Federation of Inland Ports (EFIP) has closely followed the negotiations on AFIR. EFIP brings together nearly 200 inland ports and port authorities in 18 countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Serbia and Ukraine. As Enablers of Green Logistics, inland ports are supporting all low- and zero-emission forms of transport by deploying the relevant infrastructure
Primarily for inland ports, a deadline has been set for all TEN-T inland ports to have shore side electricity infrastructure in place by 2030. This clarity makes it clear when inland ports have to realise Onshore Power Supply (OPS) in their areas while leaving space for flexibility on how to achieve this.
Decarbonising of inland shipping is a top priority for European inland ports. OPS enables stationary vessels to cut all emission leading to reduction of GHG emissions and improve the local air quality.
The AFIR supports inland ports by having Member States ensure that their electricity grid and network both has the capacity and reach for inland ports to deploy the OPS infrastructure. The main challenge for realising OPS today is the uncertainty regarding the grid capacity.
The AFIR is also looking into the future by having a review planned in 2026. At this moment Member States will have to assess what future alternative fuel infrastructure needs to be deployed in Europe.